Simplify (x-4)(x+4)

$(x - 4) (x + 4)$

Step 1

Expand $(x - 4) (x + 4)$ using the FOIL Method.

Apply the distributive property.

$x (x + 4) - 4 (x + 4)$

Apply the distributive property.

$x \cdot x + x \cdot 4 - 4 (x + 4)$

Apply the distributive property.

$x \cdot x + x \cdot 4 - 4 x - 4 \cdot 4$

Step 2

Simplify terms.

Combine the opposite terms in $x \cdot x + x \cdot 4 - 4 x - 4 \cdot 4$ .

Reorder the factors in the terms $x \cdot 4$ and $- 4 x$ .

$x \cdot x + 4 x - 4 x - 4 \cdot 4$

Subtract $4 x$ from $4 x$ .

$x \cdot x + 0 - 4 \cdot 4$

Add $x \cdot x$ and $0$ .

$x \cdot x - 4 \cdot 4$

Simplify each term.

Multiply $x$ by $x$ .

$x^{2} - 4 \cdot 4$

Multiply $- 4$ by $4$ .

$x^{2} - 16$